1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air chiller unit (air cooling device) equipped within a body of an aircraft, for supplying cooled air to foods or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Passenger aircrafts that travel long distances, such as international flights, are equipped with service carts storing meals etc. to be served to passengers, and galleys (kitchen areas) storing the service carts for preparing beverages and carrying out easy food preparation.
The meals are cooked in advance in service facilities on the ground, placed on trays to be stored in service carts, and brought on board.
Of the meals placed on the trays, warm dishes are heated by a heater etc., and cold dishes such as salads are maintained at low temperature by cooled air fed into the service carts.
Patent document 1, U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,979, discloses an example of a device for cooling service carts.
The air chiller unit is disposed in a space provided on the ceiling or under the floor of the galley in the aircraft. The air chiller unit is equipped with a refrigeration cycle unit, cooling air by an evaporator disposed with in a cooling air chamber and supplying the cooled air via a duct to the galley or the like.
Since the air chiller unit is equipped in an aircraft, the unit is required to be light weight and small sized, and since it is located near the passenger seats, the noise generated by the unit must be reduced.